The Probation Department reported today that the number of vehicle owners charged with drunk driving during the New Year’s holidays rose 20.63% year-on-year in 2012, from 3,768 to 4,635 cases.
Probation Department Director-General Ruenwadee Suwanmongkol said that there were 4,956 traffic violations throughout the country recorded between Dec. 27 2012 and Jan. 2, 2013. Apart from drunk driving, there were 16 careless driving cases and 305 minor traffic cases. Eighty-percent of drunk drivers were first-time offenders who were aged between 30 and 38 years.
Bangkok ranked first in the drunk driving category with 398 cases, followed by 289 cases in Maha Sarakam and 243 cases in Surin.
Ruenwadee reasoned that the spike in citations was due to tightened traffic law enforcement.
According to Dailynews, all offenders are subject to compulsory community service and will be assigned different projects depending on their skills.
